US11327332B2ActiveUtilityA1
Repeatable precision mounting of mechanical parts
Est. expiryNov 6, 2039(~13.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
G02B 27/62B23Q 16/021G01B 5/25
79
PatentIndex Score
1
Cited by
12
References
26
Claims
Abstract
Assemblies and kits providing the repeatable positioning of a removable component with respect to a reference component are provided. Precision positioning members including a threaded positioning shaft associated with the reference component, a positioning sleeve associated with the removable component and an alignment nut screwed in the positioning shaft and abutting the positioning sleeve are provided. The spatial profile abutments on the positioning sleeve or positioning nut and the thread angle of the positioning shaft threads are selected to provide an automatic alignment of the positioning shaft within the positioning sleeve. A clocking angle lock for locking the relative orientation of the reference component and removable component is also provide, preferably in the shape of precision clocking members. Assemblies including three sets of precision members with slotted sleeves are also provided.
Claims
exact text as granted — not AI-modifiedThe invention claimed is:
1. An assembly, comprising:
a reference component;
a removable component having a positioning hole therethrough and being removably assembled with the reference component at a target relative position;
a set of precision positioning members providing a repeatable positioning of the removable component at the target relative position, comprising:
a positioning shaft projecting from the reference component and provided with positioning shaft threads;
a positioning sleeve extending within the positioning hole of the removable component and receiving the positioning shaft therethrough, the positioning sleeve defining an abutment; and
an alignment nut having alignment nut threads complementary with the positioning shaft threads, the alignment nut being threadedly engaged with the positioning shaft and having an abutment engaging the abutment of the positioning sleeve;
wherein a spatial profile of at least one of the abutments and a thread angle of the positioning shaft threads are selected to provide an automatic alignment of the positioning shaft within the positioning sleeve; and
a clocking angle lock for locking a relative orientation of the reference component and removable component about said positioning shaft.
2. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spatial profile of the at least one of the abutments is a frustro-spherical profile defined by a radius of curvature R of the corresponding abutment, said radius of curvature meeting an auto-alignment condition defined by the equation:
R
=
⌈
d
nut
2
tan
(
φ
threads
/
2
)
-
h
-
T
/
2
⌉
2
+
Y
2
where:
d nut is a diameter of the alignment nut along the alignment nut threads;
φ thread is a value of the thread angle of the positioning shaft threads;
Y is a half-diameter of a contact line between the abutments of the positioning sleeve and the alignment nut;
h is a longitudinal distance between (i) a first point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads proximate to the abutments of the positioning sleeve and alignment nut and (ii) a point of contact of the abutment of the positioning sleeve with the abutment of the alignment nut; and
T is a distance between (i) the first point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads proximate to the abutments of the positioning sleeve and the alignment nut and (ii) a last point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads farthest from the positioning sleeve and diametrically opposite to the first point of contact.
3. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the spatial profile of one of the abutments is a frustro-conical profile defined by an inclination angle α of the corresponding abutment with respect to a transversal plane, said inclination angle meeting an auto-alignment condition defined by the equation:
α
=
sin
-
1
(
Y
⌈
d
nut
2
tan
(
φ
threads
/
2
)
-
h
-
T
/
2
⌉
2
+
Y
2
)
where:
Y is a half-diameter of a contact line between the abutments of the positioning sleeve and the alignment nut;
d nut is a diameter of the alignment nut along the alignment nut threads;
φ thread is a value of the thread angle of the positioning shaft threads;
h is a longitudinal distance between (i) a first point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads proximate to the abutments of the positioning sleeve and alignment nut and (ii) a point of contact of the abutment of the positioning sleeve with the abutment of the alignment nut; and
T is a distance between (i) the first point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads proximate to the abutments of the positioning sleeve and the alignment nut and (ii) a last point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads farthest from the positioning sleeve and diametrically opposite to the first point of contact.
4. The assembly according to any claim 1 , wherein the abutment of the positioning sleeve has said spatial profile providing an automatic alignment of the positioning shaft within the positioning sleeve.
5. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the abutment of the alignment nut has said spatial profile providing an automatic alignment of the positioning shaft within the positioning sleeve.
6. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the reference component comprises a positioning hole therethrough, and the set of precision positioning members comprises a positioning stud including a cylindrical base rigidly affixed within the positioning hole of the reference component, the positioning stud further comprising said positioning shaft projecting concentrically from the cylindrical base.
7. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning shaft projects integrally from the reference component.
8. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning shaft comprises a threaded base screwed into the reference component.
9. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning sleeve is rigidly affixed within the positioning hole of the removable component.
10. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the positioning sleeve is an integral part of the removable component.
11. The assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the removable component comprises a clocking hole therethrough, the clocking angle lock comprising a set of clocking members provided in conjunction with the clocking hole, the set of clocking members comprising:
a clocking shaft projecting from the reference component and provided with clocking shaft threads;
a slotted sleeve extending within the clocking hole of the removable component and receiving the clocking shaft therethrough, the slotted sleeve having a non-circular surface within a plane perpendicular to a center axis thereof and defining two opposite contact points; and
a clocking nut having clocking nut threads complementary with the clocking shaft threads, the clocking nut being threadably engaged with the clocking shaft and including an abutment engaging the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said two opposite contact points;
wherein a thread angle of the clocking shaft threads and a spatial profile of at least one of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said opposite contact points and the abutment of the clocking nut provide an automatic alignment of the clocking shaft within the slotted sleeve.
12. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the spatial profile of the at least one of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said opposite contact points and the abutment of the clocking nut is a frustro-spherical profile defined by a radius of curvature R′, said radius of curvature meeting an auto-alignment condition defined by the equation:
R
′
=
⌈
d
′
nut
2
tan
(
φ
′
threads
/
2
)
-
h
′
-
T
′
/
2
⌉
2
+
Y
′
2
where:
D′ nut is a diameter of the clocking nut along the clocking nut threads;
φ′ thread is a value of the thread angle of the clocking shaft threads;
Y′ is a half-diameter of a contact line between the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve and the abutment of the clocking nut;
H′ is a longitudinal distance between (i) a first point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and clocking nut and (ii) a point of contact of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve with the abutment of the clocking nut; and
T′ is a distance between (i) the first point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and the clocking nut and (ii) a last point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads farthest from the slotted sleeve and diametrically opposite to the first point of contact.
13. The assembly according to claim 11 , wherein the spatial profile of the at least one of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said opposite contact points and the abutment of the clocking nut is a frustro-conical profile defined by an inclination angle α′ with respect to a transversal plane, said inclination angle meeting an auto-alignment condition defined by the equation:
α
′
=
sin
-
1
(
Y
′
⌈
d
′
nut
2
tan
(
φ
′
threads
/
2
)
-
h
′
-
T
′
/
2
⌉
2
+
Y
′
2
)
where:
Y′ is a half-diameter of a contact line between the slotted sleeve and the clocking nut;
d′ nut is a diameter of the clocking nut along the clocking nut threads;
φ′ thread is a value of the thread angle of the clocking shaft threads;
h′ is a longitudinal distance between (i) a first point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and clocking nut and (ii) a point of contact of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve with the abutment of the clocking nut; and
T′ is a distance between (i) the first point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and the clocking nut and (ii) a last point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads farthest from the slotted sleeve and diametrically opposite to the first point of contact.
14. An assembly, comprising:
a reference component;
a removable component removably assembled with the reference component at a target relative position, the removable component being provided with three precision holes therethrough;
three sets of precision members each associated with a corresponding one of said locking precision holes of the removable component, each set of precision members comprising:
a shaft projecting from the reference component and provided with shaft threads;
a slotted sleeve extending within the corresponding precision hole of the removable component and receiving the shaft therethrough, the sleeve having a non-circular surface within a plane perpendicular to a center axis thereof and defining two opposite contact points; and
a nut having nut threads complementary with the shaft threads, the nut being threadably engaged with the shaft and including an abutment engaging the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said two opposite contact points;
wherein a thread angle of the shaft threads and a spatial profile of at least one of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said opposite contact points and the abutment of the nut provide an automatic alignment of the shaft within the slotted sleeve; and
wherein the sets of precision locking members collectively lock all translational and rotational degrees of freedom of the removable component with respect to the reference component, thereby providing a repeatable positioning of the removable component at the target relative position.
15. The assembly according to claim 14 , wherein the three sets of locking members are respectively oriented so that normals N A , N B and N C to planes P A , P B and P C containing the center axis and contact points of each set of precision locking members bisect an angle between the sets of precision locking members.
16. The assembly according to claim 14 , wherein, for each set of precision locking members, the spatial profile of the at least one of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said opposite contact points and the abutment of the nut is a frustro-spherical profile defined by a radius of curvature R′, said radius of curvature meeting an auto-alignment condition defined by the equation:
R
′
=
⌈
d
′
nut
2
tan
(
φ
′
threads
/
2
)
-
h
′
-
T
′
/
2
⌉
2
+
Y
′
2
where:
d′ nut is a diameter of the nut along the nut threads;
φ′ thread is a value of the thread angle of the shaft threads;
Y′ is a half-diameter of a contact line between the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve and the abutment of the nut;
h′ is a longitudinal distance between (i) a first point of contact of the nut threads with the shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and clocking nut and (ii) a point of contact of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve with the abutment of the nut; and
T′ is a distance between (i) the first point of contact of the nut threads with the shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and the nut and (ii) a last point of contact of the nut threads with the shaft threads farthest from the slotted sleeve and diametrically opposite to the first point of contact.
17. The assembly according to claim 14 , wherein, for each set of precision locking members, the spatial profile of the at least one of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said opposite contact points and the abutment of the nut is a frustro-conical profile defined by an inclination angle α′ with respect to a transversal plane, said inclination angle meeting an auto-alignment condition defined by the equation:
α
′
=
sin
-
1
(
Y
′
⌈
d
′
nut
2
tan
(
φ
′
threads
/
2
)
-
h
′
-
T
′
/
2
⌉
2
+
Y
′
2
)
where:
Y′ is a half-diameter of a contact line between the slotted sleeve and the nut;
d′ nut is a diameter of the nut along the nut threads;
φ′ thread is a value of the thread angle of the shaft threads;
h′ is a longitudinal distance between (i) a first point of contact of the nut threads with the shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and nut and (ii) a point of contact of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve with the abutment of the nut; and
T′ is a distance between (i) the first point of contact of the nut threads with the shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and the nut and (ii) a last point of contact of the nut threads with the shaft threads farthest from the slotted sleeve and diametrically opposite to the first point of contact.
18. A kit for providing the repeatable positioning of a removable component with respect to a reference component, the reference component and removable component each including at least one positioning hole and at least one clocking hole therethrough, said kit comprising:
at least one set of precision positioning members, each comprising:
a positioning shaft provided with positioning shaft threads and configured to be rigidly affixed within one of the at least one positioning hole of the reference component so as to project therefrom;
a positioning sleeve configured to be rigidly affixed within one of the at least one positioning hole of the removable component, the positioning sleeve defining an abutment; and
an alignment nut having alignment nut threads complementary with the positioning shaft threads, the alignment nut being threadedly engageable with the positioning shaft and having an abutment engageable with the abutment of the positioning sleeve;
wherein a spatial profile of at least one of the abutments and a thread angle of the positioning shaft threads are selected to provide an automatic alignment of the positioning shaft within the positioning sleeve; and
at least one set of precision clocking members, each comprising:
a clocking shaft provided with clocking shaft threads and configured to be rigidly affixed within one of the at least one clocking hole of the reference component so as to project therefrom; and
a slotted sleeve configured to be rigidly affixed within one of the at least one clocking hole of the removable component, the slotted sleeve having a non-circular surface within a plane perpendicular to a center axis thereof and defining two opposite contact points; and
a clocking nut having clocking nut threads complimentary with the clocking shaft threads, the clocking nut being threadably engageable with the clocking shaft and including an abutment engageable with the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said two opposite contact points;
wherein a thread angle of the clocking shaft threads and a spatial profile of at least one of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said opposite contact points and the abutment of the clocking nut are selected to provide an automatic alignment of the clocking shaft within the slotted sleeve.
19. The kit according to claim 18 , wherein, for each of the at least one set of positioning members, the spatial profile of the at least one of the abutments is a frustro-spherical profile defined by a radius of curvature R of the corresponding abutment, said radius of curvature meeting an auto-alignment condition defined by the equation:
R
=
⌈
d
nut
2
tan
(
φ
threads
/
2
)
-
h
-
T
/
2
⌉
2
+
Y
2
where:
d nut is a diameter of the alignment nut along the alignment nut threads;
φ thread is a value of the thread angle of the positioning shaft threads;
Y is a half-diameter of a contact line, in use, between the abutments of the positioning sleeve and the alignment nut;
h is a longitudinal distance, in use, between (i) a first point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads proximate to the abutments of the positioning sleeve and alignment nut and (ii) a point of contact of the abutment of the positioning sleeve with the abutment of the alignment nut; and
T is a distance, in use, between (i) the first point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads proximate to the abutments of the positioning sleeve and the alignment nut and (ii) a last point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads farthest from the positioning sleeve and diametrically opposite to the first point of contact.
20. The kit according to claim 18 , wherein, for each of the at least one set of precision positioning members, the spatial profile of the at least one of the abutments is a frustro-conical profile defined by an inclination angle α of the corresponding abutment with respect to a transversal plane, said inclination angle meeting an auto-alignment condition defined by the equation:
α
=
sin
-
1
(
Y
⌈
d
nut
2
tan
(
φ
threads
/
2
)
-
h
-
T
/
2
⌉
2
+
Y
2
)
where:
Y is a half-diameter of a contact line, in use, between the abutments of the positioning sleeve and the alignment nut;
d nut is a diameter of the alignment nut along the alignment nut threads;
φ thread is a value of the thread angle of the positioning shaft threads;
h is a longitudinal distance, in use, between (i) a first point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads proximate to the abutments of the positioning sleeve and alignment nut and (ii) a point of contact of the abutment of the positioning sleeve with the abutment of the alignment nut; and
T is a distance, in use, between (i) the first point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads proximate to the abutments of the positioning sleeve and the alignment nut and (ii) a last point of contact of the alignment nut threads with the positioning shaft threads farthest from the positioning sleeve and diametrically opposite to the first point of contact.
21. The kit according to claim 18 , wherein, for each of the at least one set of precision positioning members, the abutment of the positioning sleeve has said spatial profile providing an automatic alignment of the positioning shaft within the positioning sleeve.
22. The kit according to claim 18 , wherein, for each of the at least one set of precision positioning members, the abutment of the alignment nut has said spatial profile providing an automatic alignment of the positioning shaft within the positioning sleeve.
23. The kit according to of claim 18 , wherein, for each set of the at least one set of precision clocking members, the spatial profile of the at least one of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said opposite contact points and the abutment of the clocking nut is a frustro-spherical profile defined by a radius of curvature R′, said radius of curvature meeting an auto-alignment condition defined by the equation:
R
′
=
⌈
d
′
nut
2
tan
(
φ
′
threads
/
2
)
-
h
′
-
T
′
/
2
⌉
2
+
Y
′
2
where:
d′ nut is a diameter of the clocking nut along the clocking nut threads;
φ′ thread is a value of the thread angle of the clocking shaft threads;
Y′ is a half-diameter of a contact line, in use, between the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve and the abutment of the clocking nut;
h′ is a longitudinal distance, in use, between (i) a first point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and clocking nut and (ii) a point of contact of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve with the abutment of the clocking nut; and
T′ is a distance, in use, between (i) the first point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and the clocking nut and (ii) a last point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads farthest from the slotted sleeve and diametrically opposite to the first point of contact.
24. The kit according to claim 18 , wherein, for each of the at least one set of precision clocking members, the spatial profile of the at least one of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve at said opposite contact points and the abutment of the clocking nut is a frustro-conical profile defined by an inclination angle α′ with respect to a transversal plane, said inclination angle meeting an auto-alignment condition defined by the equation:
α
′
=
sin
-
1
(
Y
′
⌈
d
′
nut
2
tan
(
φ
′
threads
/
2
)
-
h
′
-
T
′
/
2
⌉
2
+
Y
′
2
)
where:
Y′ is a half-diameter of a contact line, in use, between the slotted sleeve and the clocking nut;
d′ nut is a diameter of the clocking nut along the clocking nut threads;
φ′ thread is a value of the thread angle of the clocking shaft threads;
h′ is a longitudinal distance, in use, between (i) a first point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and clocking nut and (ii) a point of contact of the non-circular surface of the slotted sleeve with the abutment of the clocking nut; and
T′ is a distance, in use, between (i) the first point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads proximate to the engagement of the slotted sleeve and the clocking nut and (ii) a last point of contact of the clocking nut threads with the clocking shaft threads farthest from the slotted sleeve and diametrically opposite to the first point of contact.
25. The kit according to claim 18 , wherein each set of precision positioning members comprises a positioning stud including a cylindrical base configured to be rigidly affixed within one of the at least one positioning hole of the reference component, the positioning stud further comprising the positioning shaft projecting concentrically from the cylindrical base.
26. The kit according to claim 18 , wherein each set of precision clocking members comprises a clocking stud including a cylindrical base configured to be rigidly affixed within one of the at least one clocking hole of the reference component, the clocking stud further comprising the clocking shaft projecting concentrically from the cylindrical base.Cited by (0)
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References (0)
No backward citations on record.